IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,707,975
Granted Patent B2
US 9,707,975 · App. 13/063,393 · Granted Jul 18, 2017

Vehicle and method for advising driver of same

Inventors: Dimitar Petrov Filev (Novi, MI); Jianbo Lu (Livonia, MI); Kwaku O. Prakah-Asante (Commerce Township, MI); Fazal Urrahman Syed (Canton, MI); Fling Tseng (Ann Arbor, MI)
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
B60W50/16B60W40/09B60W40/107B60W30/16B60W2540/30B60W2550/308
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,707,975
App. No.
13/063,393
Granted
Jul 18, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for advising a driver of a vehicle including a haptic driver interface may include determining a speed of the vehicle, determining a distance between the vehicle and another vehicle, and activating the haptic driver interface based on the speed and distance.

Claims (23)

1. A vehicle comprising:

a haptic interface; and

a controller configured to

activate the haptic interface responsive to a distance between the vehicle and another vehicle being less than a threshold distance initially set according to a learned driver behavior that is based on how a driver is driving the vehicle, and

decrease the threshold distance to not less than a predefined minimum responsive to the distance not increasing following activation of the haptic interface.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the haptic interface is a haptic accelerator pedal.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to activate the haptic interface at an intensity that depends on the distance between the vehicles.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 wherein the intensity increases as the distance decreases.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the threshold distance is decreased to a predefined minimum.

6. A vehicle comprising:

a haptic interface; and

a controller configured to

responsive to a time to collision with another vehicle being less than a threshold time initially set according to a learned driver behavior that is based on how a driver is driving the vehicle, activate the haptic interface, and

responsive to the time to collision not increasing following activation of the haptic interface, decrease the threshold time to not less than a predefined minimum.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 wherein the haptic interface is a haptic accelerator pedal.

8. The vehicle of claim 6 wherein the controller is further configured to activate the haptic interface at an intensity that depends on the time to collision.

9. The vehicle of claim 8 wherein the intensity increases as the time to collision decreases.

10. A method for advising a driver of a vehicle comprising:

by a processor,

responsive to a gap time between the vehicle and another vehicle being less than a threshold time initially set according to a learned driver behavior that is based on how the driver is driving the vehicle, activating a haptic interface; and

responsive to the gap time not increasing following activation of the haptic interface, decreasing the threshold time to a predefined minimum.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the haptic interface is activated with an intensity that depends on the gap time.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the threshold time is decreased to a predefined minimum.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2011
From: FILEV, DIMITAR PETROV; LU, JIANBO; PRAKAH-ASANTE, KWAKU O.; SYED, FAZAL URRAHMAN; TSENG, FLING
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 025937/0184 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61109584 · Oct 30, 2008
Related Publication 20110193693A1 · Aug 11, 2011